By Kolby LaMarche

Burlington’s City Attorney’s Office and Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) have each submitted Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposals as the city works to close a projected structural deficit. 

The Attorney’s Office is keeping its overall spending essentially flat through continued vacancies and targeted cuts. REIB, newly protected by a voter-approved charter amendment, is seeking modest growth while still delivering internal savings.

The City Attorney’s Office proposes a FY27 budget of $1.4 million, identical to the FY26 adopted level. Personnel costs stay at $1.2 million, making up 86 percent of the total, while operating expenses drop by $45,000 through reduced spending on professional and consultant services. 

The office plans to keep the Deputy City Attorney position vacant for another year, producing $114,000 in savings.

Following the planned departure of the Director of General Government and Transactional Services on June 30, eight of nine total positions will remain filled. 

Jessica Brown serves as City Attorney and Corporation Counsel, supported by a team that includes directors of litigation and general government services, assistant city attorneys, a public information officer, paralegal, and legal administrative assistant.

FY26 highlights for the Attorney’s Office include maintaining full staffing throughout the year and successfully launching LawVu, the city’s first matter management system.

The office handled more non-complex litigation in-house, established the City Circle program which launched in January, and updated training for city staff on interacting with ICE agents in municipal buildings. 

Zoning and permitting enforcement efforts, conducted in partnership with the Department of Public Works, generated $127,718.67 in fines and fees paid or agreed to be paid to the city. 

Interdepartmental revenues reached $227,000 in FY26 and are projected at $220,000 for FY27. At 80 percent through the fiscal year, personnel expenses stood at $950,000 (79 percent of budget) and operating expenses at $138,000 (77 percent).

For the coming year, the Attorney’s Office intends to continue modernizing the City Charter, extend the City Circle initiative — funded by the Attorney General’s Office — and collaborate further with the Burlington Police Department and Criminal Justice Center to improve outcomes. 

The office will also monitor federal litigation, executive orders, and policy memos to provide timely advice to the administration, City Council, and departments.

The City Attorney’s Office serves as the primary legal advisor to city government. Its responsibilities include litigation, transactional work, policy guidance, enforcement actions, and helping navigate complex regulatory and federal issues. 

Meanwhile, REIB is requesting $855,000 in total expenses for FY27, an increase from $808,000 in FY26. The proposal includes $655,000 in personnel costs (76 percent of the budget) and $200,000 in operating expenses. 

The department is eliminating one program manager position, generating $104,496 in savings, and making additional programmatic reductions of $23,214, primarily from consistently underspent lines such as travel and training. 

Total identified cuts reach $127,710, aligning with the mayor’s city-wide call for efficiencies. 

REIB’s proposal reflects its strengthened institutional standing after Burlington voters approved a charter amendment last March by a 57 percent margin on Town Meeting Day 2026. 

The Vermont House passed the necessary legislation as of April 24, formally embedding the office in the city charter and shielding it from easy elimination in future budget cycles.

Through roughly 80 percent of FY26, REIB had incurred $442,000 in personnel expenses (71 percent of the $617,000 budgeted), with the fifth position still unfilled. 

Operating expenses reached $132,000 (69 percent of the $191,000 budgeted), partly because many Juneteenth celebration costs had not yet been paid. 

The department had hoped to raise $40,000 in donations for Juneteenth but had secured only $6,500 by early May.

For FY27, new or adjusted operating allocations include $7,000 shifted for the Sister Cities Program (previously in Regional Programs), $40,000 dedicated to Language Access services, and $102,000 for community celebrations. 

Officials plan to scale back the cost of Juneteenth events while maintaining robust programming as part of broader city efforts to manage festival expenses.

REIB was established in 2020 amid national protests following the murder of George Floyd and the City Council’s declaration of racism as a public health crisis. Dr. Kelli Perkins has led the office since late 2025. 

FY26 accomplishments included launching the Sister Cities Program and deepening involvement with the Aging Council. The office strengthened partnerships through Trusted Community Voices (TCVs), collaborated with nuWave Equity Corp, revised the Language Access Plan, and worked with Human Resources on workforce recruitment and internal city staff training.

Looking ahead, REIB aims to broaden its approach to become more “intersectional”, addressing inclusion and belonging issues beyond race. 

Planned initiatives include continued work with the Aging Council, expanded Language Access efforts that incorporate residents with visual and hearing disabilities, the Sister Cities Program, and a comprehensive survey of city employees on their workplace experiences. 

The office also plans deeper integration of Trusted Community Voices as city employees, who currently receive a stipend for their occasional testimony, rooted in their stated identify. No further details were given on this point.

It will partner with nuWave Equity Corp to assess the overall culture of city government and employee experiences. Language Access work will feature greater use of Wordly.ai technology in public meetings and the development of standardized informational videos for city services, such as water boil alerts. 

Officials are also exploring opportunities for nonprofits and small businesses to contract with the city for Wordly.ai services.

A key concern noted in the proposal is the elimination of the fifth position and its potential effect on the office’s capacity for longer-term policy work and overall sustainability. Federal-level uncertainty around diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives adds another layer of complexity.

City Council budget deliberations will intensify in the coming weeks. Both the Attorney’s Office and REIB proposals, along with those from other departments, will undergo committee review, public hearings, and votes. Final adoption is targeted before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.

BDN will continue to follow next year’s budgets, as well as the certain shortfall.